Soap chiller and drier.



110. 898,111. PATENTED SEPT. s, 1908. A. HUBER 1 E. A. 11011011111. SOAP OHILLER AND 111111111.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 24,1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Summkoz witnesses wit eases PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908;, A. HUBER & E. A. HOUGHIN.

SOAP GHILLER AND DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1 906 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

No- 898,111. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 19 08. A. HUBER dz E. A. HOUGHIN.

SOAP CHILLER AND (DRIER.

PPLIOATION FILED M Y2 1 e. A A 90 5SHEETSSHBET a.

No. 898,111. 7 PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908. A. HUBER & E. A. HOUGHIN.

SOAP OHILLER AND DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTHONY HUBER AND ERNEST A. IIOUOII IN, OF. BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. i

SOAP CHILLER AND DRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AN'rnoNY HUBER and ERNEST A. lllouonm, citizens of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful 1mprovemmits in Soap Chillers and Driers; and. We do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. a

This invention relates to soap dricrs and especially to that class of 'ITllLGlllllOS adapted to take soap in a liquid or semi-liquirh form and reduce it to sheets or chips in' dry form.

The object of the invention is to provide a sea -drying machine of improvedform embor ying a chilling roller arranged to produce asoap film of very thin dimensions and to take the film from the cylinder in such form as to add strength to the film.

A further ()bJOCt of the invention is to provide in a soap-drier means for conveying-the" soap film from the chilling cylinder to the drier proper-arranged to fracture the soap film into irregular pieces.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide in a soapdrier a chilling cylinder having improved means for chillin with a chilling liquid and for regulating the height of the liquid within the cylinder.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a soap drier a chilling cylinder having means for supplying a liquid thereto and with means to regulate the height of the liquid within the cylinder and the temperature thereof.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain other novel construetions, combinations and arran ements of parts, as will behereinafter more ully described and claimed.

In the drawingsz Figure 1 is a view of the machine in side elevation and assembled in operative position. Fig. 2 is .a view in side e evation of one end of the drier proper seen from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1. Fi 3 is a view in end elevation of the soap chilling cylinder and associated parts, some portions of which are broken away. Fi .4 is a View of the soap chilling cylinder in si( e elevation, seen along the arrow 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view of the said chilling cylinder showing the means for admitting and discharging a chilling liquid from the cylinder, and means for regulating the temperature and hei ht of the liquid within the cylinder. Fig. 6 1s a detail sectional view of the connection for the inlet and outlet pipes associated with the cylinder. Fig. '7 is a view in end elevation of the dial and associate pointer for indicating the position of the discharge )ipe within the cylinder. Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of the stripper knife. Fi 9 is a view of the stripper knife in end c'evation. Fig. 10 is a detail,

sectional view showing the hopper and means for maintaining the contents in heated condition. Fig. 11 is a detail side elevation of a slide plate or scraper for regulating the thickness of the soap film; Fig. 12 is a sectional view showing a modified arrangement for coating the cylinder with the liquid soap. 1 Like characters of reference indicate cor-' responding parts throughout the several views.

'lhe soap drying machine forming the subject matter of this application comprises the drier shown as a whole at 10 and comprisin vertical upright or frame )ieces 11 space apart to accommodate sli ing doors 12, by which access is gained to the 1I1t6I101"0f the rler.

'lransversely across one end of the drier are journaled'a plurality of shafts 13, 14, 15, 16, .17 and 18 carrying rollers or sprockets for accommodating and operating conveyer belts shown at 19. At the opposite end of the drier are journaled rollers for carrying the op )osite end of the conveyer belt, the said rollers bein journaled upon shafts 20, 21, 22, L3, 24 am 25 in such position relative to each other that the dischar e end of each apron stops short of the end of the drier and disposed above the end of the apron or belt next below the end of which extends be 0nd and to receive material discharged t erefrom. The belts or conveyer aprons 19 are arranged to travel alternately in opposite directions so that the material discharged first upon one end of the upper apron or belt is conveyed to adjacent the opposite end of the drier and discharged 'ufpon the end of the apron next beneath, a ter which it is conveyed backwardly to the end of the machine from which it started and in like manner dum ed upon the end of the apron next beneat the said aprons being arranged in se uence, so that the material is finally dis- 0 arged from the last apron at the end of the machine from which it started and into a trough in which operates a worm or screw conveyer upon the' shaft 26.

The interior of the drier is heated in the usual manner by means of air supplied thereto in heated condition and exhausted therefrom by means of an exhaust fan rotating within the housing 27 and operated by a pulley 28 receiving motion by means of a belt 29 from a pulley 30. The ulley 30 re- ,ceives motion by means of a be t 31 from a line shaft 32 and pulley 33. The heated air from the interior of the'drier after being ex- 'hausted by the fan in the housing 27 is forced outwardly through the discharge pipe 34 to the atmosphere or to any convenient flue.

For operating the several conveyer aprons or belts mounted upon the shafts, as mentioned, the said shafts 13 to 16inclusive are with sprockets 41 and 42.

respectively provided with sprockets 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40, and the central or middle shafts 14 and 17 respectively are provided Over the sprockets 35, 36 and 37 are mounted the sprocket chains 43 and 44, whereby the said sprockets ,Which passes over the sprocket '41 upon the shaft 14. The shaft 48 and sprocket 49 re-v ceive motion in any approvedmanner, as by means of the chain 51 passing over a sprocket on the line shaft 32. Similarly journaled upon the frame is the shaft 52 upon which is carried a sprocket 53 over which passes the sprocket chain 54, the other end of which en-- gages and operates the sprocket 42 upon the shaft 17. The shaft 52 also carries the s rocket 54 over which passes the sprocket c ain 55, the other end of which passes about the sprocket 56 rigidly nfounted upon the conveyor shaft 26.

The apron carrying rollers or sprockets which accommodate the ends of the aprons stopping short of the ends of the drier are provided with means for exerting tension upon the said aprons which may consist of screws 57 and hand wheels 58.

For operation in association with the drier above described, a chilling cylinder 59 is employed, provided'with hubs 60 and 61 journaled as at 62 and 63 upon the frame 64. The chilling cylinder 59 is formed hollow and the hub 60 is formed in the sha e of a sleeve,

asjat 65, through which exten s a discharge pipe 66 and provided with a stufiing box 67 y means of which the escape of fluid from the cylinder is prevented, exce t through the said discharge pipe. Externally of the hub the discharge pipe 66 is provided with a coupling 68 havmg one passage, as 69, in communication with the inlet pipe Y66 and arranged to receive a feed pipe 70. The feed pipe 70 is provided with a T-'oint 71 whereby communication is forme with a water supply.

pipe 72 and a steam supply pipe 73 provi res ectively with cocks 74 and 75 for contro ling the flow of liquid therethrough. The coupling 68 is also rovided with a passage 76 communicating y means of openings 77 with the discharge pipe 78, which said pipe extends axially within the cylinder to approximately the middle thereof and is provided with an L-joint 79 and the branch pipe 80 extending a proximately at right angles to the pi e 78 an adjacent to the inner periphcry, 0 the cylinder. The passage 76 is also arranged to receive the overflow pipe 81, by which communication is had with a sewer or any convenient means for discharging the used liquid from the cylinder.

The end of the discharge pipe 78 extends outwardly through the outer end of the cou ling 68 and isembraced by a dial 82 rigidl carried upon the end of the cou ling.

provided upon one side with a pointer 84 extending in approximate arall'e ism with the pipe 80 and by means .0 which the angular position of the pipe 80 within the cylinder 59 1s determined. The cylinder 59 is rotated The end of the pipe is also provided wlth a cap 83 in any approved manner, as by means of a gear 85 meshing with a pinion 86, whichgin turn is rotated by a gear 87 from a pinion 88. The inion 88 is mounted upon a shaft 89 rovlded with the usual fast and loose puleys 90 and 91 and receiving motion by means of a belt 92 from a pulley 93 upon the line shaft 32.

At any convenient point about the cylinder 59, as vertically thereabove, is provided a roller 94 provided with trunnions 95 and 96 journaled respectively in bearing blocks 97 and 98. The bearing blocks 97 and 98 are vertically slidable in the frame 64 and the vertical position of said blocks is determined and adjusted by means of screws 99 extending vertically above the frame and provided upon their upper ends with worm gears 100 engaging worms 101 ri 'idlymounted upon the shaft 102 extending longitudinally of the machine and preferably provided at one end -with a hand wheel 103 by which the shaft 102 is rotated, adjusting the screws 99 and bearing blocks 97-98 in the well-known manner.

The roller 94 is operated almost in contact with the cylinder 59, theinterval between the said roller and cylinder being adjusted as above described, and the roller is rotated at a peripheral speed many times greater than the peripheral speed ofthe cylinder 59 by means of a sprocket 104 carried upon the shaft 105 upon which the pinion 86 and gear 87 are mounted, which said sprocket is in alinement with a sprocket 106 upon the trunnion 95 and with a sprocket chain 107 passing over the said sprockets 104 and 106. It will be noted that the shaft 105 must rotate at a speed very much greater than the speed of t e cylinder 59 and that the sprockets 104 and 106 being substantially equal in diam eter the roller" 94 will rotate in substantial synchronism with the said shaft 105.

The soap film may be applied to the chilling cylinder 59 many of the usual, wellknown and approved manners, but preferably by means ,of a hopper 108 disposed adj acent one upper side of the chilling cylinder, and providedwith-a slidable side plate 109 which may be regulated relative to the surface of the cylinder in any approved manner, as by means of the screws 110', whereby the thickness of thesoap' film discharged from the hopper upon the surface of the cylinder more rapid rotary movement of the rollerthe may be regulated with great nicety. The lower and outer side of the hopper 108 is composed of the plate 108 which may be cast integral with the passage 108 formed along the lower edge thereof and intowhich the pipe 1'08 is inserted. By the means just described heated liquid as water can be supplied to the chamber or passage 108 to keep the soap within the hopper and adjacent the film applying plate 109 constantly liquid. to

insure-its proper application to the cylinder.

The late 109 is provided along its lower edge wliich contacts with the chilling cylinder with a plurality of spaced notches or indentations 109 by the use of which the eX- ternal surface of the applied soap film is provided with upstanding ridges. The said ridges being thicker than the adjacent film of soap, do not become chilled to as great an eX- tent as the surrounding soap, and when the soap film is brought into contact with the crushing roller 94, the ridges are crushed upon the surface of the soap film, whereby the said surface is rendered more adhesive and the said film is by the roller 94 taken 0H from the chilling roller as described.

The screws 110 are operated in any ap proved manner, as by means of pinions 110 rigidly carried upon the extremities of the said screws and engaging worms 110 carried upon the shaft 110 j ournaled upon the upper edge of the hopper side 108 .and manipulated by means of a hand wheel 110 or otherwise.

The film of soap is carried by the chilling cylinder 59 during the major part of a revolution and by reason of the chillin liquid contained in the said cylinder the lm of soap upon. its surface is cooled and chilled. The

film of soap-carried upon the periphery of the cylinder is brought into engagement with the rotating cylinder 94,- and by reason of the film of soap is greatly reduced in, thickness and 1s transferred from the chilling cylinder to the surface ofthe roller. The reducedfilm is carried by the roller through the major portion of a revolution and is engaged by a stripper or knife 111 in o erative engagement with the periphery of t c said roller and disposed preferably at an angle of approximately forty-fivedegrees to a tangent to the roller. The stripper or knife 111 may be mounted in any approved manner, as by means of being slidably inserted between guides 112 and 113 and retained in operative position by means of a set screw 114. The

stripper 1 1 1 may be of any approved form, but

preferably is provided along one edge with a bevel, as at 115, formed upon an arc coinciding with the curvature of the roller 94 and the said bevel portion in contact therewith, as shown in Fig. 3. Along the reduced edge of the stripper 111 formed by means of the bevel 115 is provided a plurality of spaced points 116 formed in any approved manner and by filling or milling the edge as at 117 to produce reversely inclmed chisel edges 118 conforming to the curvature 115 and in con tact with the periphery of the roller 94.

The soap film removed by means of the stripper 111 shown in Figs 8 and 9 is formed in corrugated sheets and from the said stripper drop upon the conveyer apron 119 and is thereby conveyed to and discharged into the upper portion of the adjacent end of the drier shown at 10. The conveyer belt 119 is carried or moved at a rate-of speed in eXcess of the surface speed of the roller 94, whereby v and a pulley or sprocket 124 upon the trunnion 96 of the crushing roll.

The pulleys or sprockets 123 and 124 are preferably stepped as shown particularly in Fig. 4, whereby the belt or sprocket chain 122 may be shifted from pulleys or sprockets of one dimension to pulleys or sprockets f other dimensions, without change of length.

As shown in Fig. 12 the cylinder 59- may be rotated in a trough or vat 125 containing liquid or heated soap and whereby the liquid soap is carried by the rotation of the cylinder .into contact with the scraper, shown as 109 similar to the knife shown in Fig. 11, as 109, and provided with a straight edge or with the indentations 109. The knife or scraper 109 may be adjusted relative to the surface of the cylinder in any ap proved manner as by means of the screw 126 engaging the bracket 127. The POSitlOIl. of

the knife 109 is such that the soa film upon the surface of'the cylinder will e reduced to the desired thickness by the adjustment of the knife or scraper, and will be carried upon the surface of the cylinder'to operate and to be operated upon, as herein described.

.into the hopper 1.08 and the chillingcylinder 59 and its associate and intergeared parts are put into operation as above described.

The rotation of the cylinder 59 in the direc' tion indicated by the arrow will engage a film of soap from the hopper 108 which is permitted to escape therefrom by means of the adjusting movement of the side plate 109, and the said film is by the said cylinder carried about and into engagement with the roller 94, whereby it is crushed and reduced in thickness, as above described. The temperature of the chilling cylinder is regulated and maintained by means of any approved liquid, as water, discharged into said cylin der through the pipes 70 and 66, and the height of the water within the cylinder is regulated by means of rotating the pipe 78 and its branch pipe 80. to dispose the extremity of the branch pipe 80 at any height within the cylinder, said position being determined as above-described, by means of a pointer 84 in relation to the dial 82. The introduction of cold water to the cylinder '59 will reduce the temperature of the said cylinder to too great an'extent whereupon steam from any convenient and approved source may be admitted through the pipe 7,3 and controlled by the valve 75. The soap film after passing about the cylinder 59 and being crushed and reduced by the roller 94 as described, is stripped from the said roller by means of the knife 111 .in corrugated sheets or strips and is discharged thereby, as

described, upon the conveyer apron 119 by.

which it is discharged upon the end of the upper. apron 19 within the drier, and by the said apron 19 carried backward and forward from the end of entry to the opposite end and finally discharged into and conveyed away by means of the screw conveyer upon the shaft 26.

What we claim'is:

1. Ina machine-of the class described, a

. chilling cylinder, a feed hopper associated with the cylinder, a crushing roller located in juxtaposition to the cylinder, a stripper arranged in contact with the roller, an apron branch pipe within the cylinder.

se m

arranged to receive material from the stri' per and move at a speed reater than t e cylinder for discharging liquid therefrom,

and means external of the cylinder for var'ying the height of the liquid within the cylinder.

3. In a machine ofthe'class described, a hollow chilling'cylinder, means to admit a chilling liquid within the cylinder, a pipe extending into the cylinder in axial relation thereto, a branch pipe connected with said axial pipe and extending adjacent to the inner periphery of the cylinder, and means to rotate the axial pipe to adjust the height of the branch pipe.

4. In a machine of the class described, a hollow cylinder, means to admit a chilling liquid to the cylinder, a pi e extending from without the cylinder throug the axis thereof, and means carried by thev axial ipe at its external end for rotating the sai pi e and for determining the position of the ranch pipe within the cylinder.

5. In a machine of the class'described, a hollow cylinder provided with a hollow hub, an inlet pipe extending axially through the said hollow hub, acou ling upon the outer end of the said inlet pipe or connection with the feed pipe, a ipe extending through the coupling and tl irough the inlet-pipe into the cylinder, a branch pipe extendmg from the inner extremity of the axial pipe and into juxta 'osition with the inner periphery of the cylin er, and with its external end extending through the coupling, a dial carried upon the coupling, and means carried by the external end of the pipe for operation in conjunction with the dial to determine the position of the H 6. In a machine of the class described, a chilling cylinder provided with means for admitting a chilling liquid thereto, means for regulating the temperature andvolume of the contained chilling liquid, a roller rotatably mounted in juxtaposition to the chilling cylinder and rotating with a greater surface speed than the cylinder, a stripperarranged in contact with the roller, an apron disposed to receive material from the stripper, and

speed than the surfacespeed of the roller.

7. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a chilling cylinder journaled upon the frame, means for admitting a chilling liquid to the cylinder, means for regulating the' temperature and volume of the liquid con-' tents of the cylinder, a crushing roller mounted in juxtaposition to the chilling roller, means for rotating the crushing roller at a greater surface speed than the surface means for rotating the apron at a greater ,,1,2. o

' speed of the chilling cylinder, a stripper mounted in contact with and to remove material from the crushing roller, anv apron disposed beneath the stripper and to receive material discharged therefrom, means to rotate the apron at a s eed greater than the surface speed of the r0 ler, and a soa drier positioned to receive material disc arged from the opposite end of the apron.

8. In a machine of the class described, a rotating chilling cylinder, a scraper mounted adjacent the periphery of the cylinder and arranged to permit the assage of a film between the edge of the said scraper and the cylinder, the said-adjacent edge being pro vided with spaced notches and, means for supplying liquid or semi-liquid material to the periphery of the cylinder in position to be reduced in thickness by contact with the edge of the said scraper.

, means for controlling the temperature of the material Within the hopper.

10. In a machine of the class described, a chilling cylinder, a hopper disposed adjacent the chllling cylinder, and s aced therefrom at its lower side, a plate within the hopper and movable, to vary the interval between its edge and the chilling cylinder, and a chamber formed in the lower edge of the hopper arranged to receive and accommodate a temperature controlling fluid.

11. In a device of the class described, a rotating chilling cylinder, means to remove material from the surface of the cylinder, and an apron disposed to receive material removed ,from the cylinder and traveling at a rate greater than the rate of movement of the periphery of the cylinder.

12. In a device of the class described, a chilling cylinder mounted to rotate, a scraper positioned to remove material from the surface of the cylinder, and an a ron po sitioned to receive material remove by the gripper and traveling at a ra e greater than the rate of travel of the periphery of the cylinder.

13; In a device of the class described, a chilling cylinder, a scraper engaging the periphery of the cylinder and proportioned to remove the material therefrom in ribbons, and an apron bons and trave ing at a rate of speed greater ositioned to receive the rib-- than the rate of travel of the periphery of the cylinder.

14. In a device of the class described, a rotating chilling cylinder, means to su ply a film of material to the surface of the cylinder, and to produce thickened portions at intervals.

15. In a device of the class described, a chilling cylinder, means to apply a film of material to the surface of the cylinder, and means to produce thickened ribs of material circumferentially of the cylinder, and spaced apart longitudinally thereof.

16. In a device of the class described, a chilling cylinder, a film applying plate spaced from the cylinder and provided with means for producing thickened portions at intervals upon the film.

17. In a device of the class described, a chilling cylinder, and a film applying plate having its edge spaced from the cylinder and with indentations formed in the edge of the plate.

18. In a device of the class described, a

chilling cylinder, means to admit a liquid to the cylinder, a discharge pipe extending within the cylinder and provided with aleg disposed at an angle to the main pipe, and means to rotate the main pipe and leg.

- 19. In a device of the class described,'a hollow chilling cylinder, means to admit a liquid to the cylinder, a pipe extending within the cylinder substantially along its axis, a leg carried by the pipe approximately at right angles thereto and extending adjacent to the inner surface of the cylinder, and means to vary the angular position of the leg relative to the axis of the cylinder.

20. In a device of the class described, a chilling cylinder, a hopper adjacent the chilling cylinder, a film applying plate carried by the hopper and with its-edge spaced from the cylinder, a plurality of screws adapted to move the film applying plate laterally, and

means to actuate the screws simultaneously.

21. In aimachine of the class described, a traveling film forming surface, means to remove a film from the surface, and transporting means moving at a rate of speed greater phan the movement of the film forming surace.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ANTHONY HUBER.

ERNEST A. HOUCHIN.

' Witnesses J. M. OsTRANnER, H. T. SHERMAN. 

